The Golden State Warriors have been fighting an uphill battle all season long. It took head coach Steve Kerr a while to rely on the team's youngsters, which, more often than not, put Stephen Curry on an island as the lone dangerous scorer on the team amid Klay Thompson's battle with age-related decline and Andrew Wiggins' unexplainable yips. Moreover, Draymond Green, the team's heart and soul and defensive anchor, has been a huge distraction thanks to his on-court shenanigans that landed him in hot water with the NBA.
But the Warriors have been looking like a much better team as of late, thanks to the emergence of young guys Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski, both of whom have become invaluable members of the team's rotation. Kerr has also simplified matters by relying heavily on Green to fill the bulk of the minutes at the five — giving the team some additional defensive rigidity along the perimeter as well as some more playmaking heft.
However, as presently constructed, do the Warriors have enough to fulfill their ambition of competing for a championship? Stephen Curry may still be as elite as they come, but he's already 35 years old. Clock is ticking on his chase for a fifth title, but this potentially fatal flaw that they did not address at the trade deadline could end up costing them as they try to crash the playoff party.
Here is the Warriors' biggest mistake at the 2024 NBA trade deadline.
Warriors' biggest mistake: Not pulling off a trade for another big man
It was the Warriors that popularized small-ball; it was this strategy that took the Dubs from a middle of the pack team in 2014 to a full-fledged dynasty in the 10 years that have passed since. There's a reason why Steve Kerr trusts in this tactic so much. First of all, he has Draymond Green. Green is perhaps the most unique two-way player the league has ever seen.
Green enables the Warriors to play small without really being small; despite standing at just 6'5, the veteran forward's defensive instincts, positioning, and his impressive wingspan allow him to be so disruptive, both at the perimeter and in the paint. His low center of gravity allows him to battle against post-up brutes as well and not relent too much real estate in the paint.
However, Draymond Green is now doing this on a full-time basis. This is the first time that he has done this in the regular season. Steve Kerr prefers to put a more traditional center alongside Green in the frontcourt, with Kevon Looney filling that role for quite a while now, because this small-ball look is something the Warriors typically reserve for the postseason.
They do not have that luxury now. Looney handicaps their offense too much, while Dario Saric's defense is far from impressive. The Warriors have found a much better two-way balance in their current setup, although it remains to be seen for just how long Green's body will hold up as the team's starting center.
Leading up to the trade deadline, the Warriors were linked to a few centers, including Kelly Olynyk. Olynyk wouldn't have been a catch-all panacea to their frontcourt problems, but Olynyk is at least a big body who could space the floor, handle the rock sparingly, and he is not afraid of doing the dirty work. He could have been a huge get, especially with Steve Kerr always making sure that the offense continues to hum. Olynyk does that as a willing ball-mover, screen-setter, and shooter.
Alas, the only move the Warriors made before the trade deadline was to get rid of Cory Joseph's contract. Make no mistake about it, it's not like the Warriors should have made a grand move like trading for Dejounte Murray. It's not like they should have gone all-in on Pascal Siakam. The Dubs are clearly playing their hand in a more patient manner, which is something they must do given the lack of trade assets they actually want to part ways with.
But adding another big man to give Draymond Green some reprieve could have gone a long way towards ensuring that the Warriors get 100 percent production from the veteran forward as they head deeper into the postseason. With Chris Paul will be returning soon, the Warriors could get a ton of easy buckets if they give him a pick-and-roll dance partner off the bench.
It's not too late for the Warriors. Not trading for a big man isn't exactly the biggest mistake. They can always pursue a buyout addition, anyway. But relying on the buyout market means relying on plenty of factors that are beyond their control.
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